Those Eyes
by Ryuuko1
Summary: It's difficult to summarize this one. NaruxSasu in later chapters. What happens when an civilian opportunist decides to use all his knowledge of the villages just to have one ninja... ?Sasu yaoi
1. Meetings

Author: This little idea hit me while I was going for a walk, and I mulled over it for a while. I was bad an used amnesia. Bad author! Bad author! Ah, well. This should be fun. Everything will be explained later in the story I promise.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. Neither does Itachi, for that matter. Mmm...Itachi...

He was breathing heavily, and looked, startled, at the young man in front of him.

'Those eyes...those _eyes!_' Where could he have possibly seen them before? Deep crimson with three black dots circling the pupil...what strange, exotic, and alluring eyes.

He knew, in the back of his mind somewhere, that he ought to be alarmed. The three people in front of him were obviously ninja, two men and a woman.

More practical matters hit him a moment afterwards.

"Hey! They were _paying_ me! I do need money to survive, you know," he said reprovingly to the three ninja before him. The man with the eyes that drew him in sighed heavily.

"You know, we could arrest you along with these missing nin," he said softly, gesturing to the men tied up at his feet.

"But you know that _I_ didn't know what they were. Unless you believe me to be guilty by association, in which that would be mean. I'm simply trying to make a living."

The man was about to reply when the woman's voice cut in.

"Sasuke, back off. He's not a ninja, so he probably _was_ just acting as a guide for these men."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "How can you be certain, Sakura?"

The other man sighed and murmured, "So troublesome. C'mon, let's just get these guys back to where they belong."

Sakura and Sasuke looked over at Shikamaru, and Sakura went over to help him with the bodies of the shinobi. Sasuke, however, looked back at the indignant man as he muttered and went through the Shinobi's pockets, taking whatever money he could find as well as a few other goods he could possibly sell.

The man was fairly well-built, his movements fluid when calm, choppy now that he was angry. His skin was burned a deep tan, his hair a bleached blonde and his eyes a strange tawny shade. Sasuke thought he could make out faint marks on the man's cheeks, but they were most likely scars from whatever work he does beside guide missing nin into enemy territory. He turned away and walked over and helped prepare the men for transport, and the man who had been guiding the missing nin backed off, sullen. With a few hand seals and a word, the three ninja and their captives dissapeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a mildly annoyed man behind.

Kawao looked at the space where everyone had been before and didn't bother to suppress a small smirk. Running into ninja was always so lucrative...and very, very exciting. He slipped the money and goods he had taken from all present into his bag and turned right, and headed for a small town he knew was nearby to rest, trade some goods for money, and then head off to another major city. He was well known in most circles, from the highest to the lowest. He was a dependable guide, and knew the world over in the most intimate of ways. Hell, sometimes even ninja employed him. He wasn't about to be picky.

But those eyes...!

Kawao had been searching for something that he lost for many, many years now. He'd been searching since that day he had washed up on the shores of a lake, near a small fishing and trade village, with no memory and only a forehead protector as a link to his past. He had discovered, over the years, that he had a burning desire to prove himself, no matter what the task, and that the martial arts gave him pleasure like nothing else could. He had spent many sleepy years in the village he had ended up in before leaving, the desire to find what he had lost an unbearable weight in his chest. He had traveled the world, always searching, and never finding what he was looking for.

But those eyes...!

Those eyes had stirred something deep within him, a flicker of recognition. He smiled ferally, his eyes slipping more towards red than tawny. He had felt drawn to the owner of those eyes, and he _wanted_ him without knowing why. But he would have him. He always found a way to capture even the most elusive of prey. And this would probably be a very enjoyable hunt, since the man he was after was a ninja.

---

Sakura and Sasuke made their report to Tsunade and relaxed only once they were out of the office and down the hall.

"Sasuke..."

Sasuke looked over at the pink-haired woman next to him.

"That man...from earlier...didn't he feel...strange?"

"As if I knew him? Yes, but..." Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. "I've never met anyone like him before."

Silence fell between them and they nearly ran into their old teacher before stepping aside just in time, almost instinctively.

"Yo."

Sasuke merely nodded and Sakura gave Kakashi a small smile before they seperated, confusing the grey-haired Jounin. Who simply shrugged and made his way to Tsunade's office. He stepped in, slipping his Icha Icha Tactics into a pocket in his vest and looked at Tsunade.

"Kakashi. Sasuke and Sakura just gave me a report feature missing nin and a guide. He's the same one we employ from time to time, so he knows where our Hidden Village is, but I'm also guessing that he knows where the other villages are, as well as their defences. I hate to say it but..."

"He's become too dangerous."

"Sasuke also said that when pressed, he fought back with techniques most civilians wouldn't know. Is that simply a by-product of being employed by ninja? I don't think so."

"So you want me to gather information on him."

Tsunade nodded. "I can trust you to be discreet in ways that most others can't be."

Kakashi nodded slightly, and looked thoughtful as he left Tsunade's office.

"Oh, and Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked over his shoulder.

"I doubt I need to tell you this, but only information gathering. Nothing more."

Kakashi paused for a moment longer and nodded, closing the door to Tsunade's office behind him.

---

Kawao had strange dreams that night. He dreampt of red and blue light, of chirping, of snakes and frogs, intense pleasure and equally intense pain. He drempt of those _eyes_ and felt the creature inside him shift, and murmured softly in his sleep, calming the savageness that he knew lay beneath the thin layer of normalcy he cloaked himself in. When he opened his eyes again, it was to find a name passing his lips, a name that he didn't hear, that he stopped in mid-breath. He sat up slowly and looked at the whirl on his stomach, the black noticable even against his heavily tanned skin. His mouth twisted up slightly as he thought back to the ninja he had seen. All of them had been fairly pale; he supposed that ninja had a fairly cushiony job if they could get away with being that pale. It seemed he, as a civilian, worked harder than ninja that trained for years. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and put them on the cold wooden floor of the inn he was staying at and stood. He pulled on his clothes, walked out the door, dropped off his payment and walked out into the early morning light. His eyes blazed red briefly and he took off at a sprint, his lips pulled back in an almost insane smile, enjoying the rush of power he felt every now and then from that which lived inside him, and only barely managed to keep himself from howling in delight as he dissapeared into the forest.

This was why he never settled anywhere. Because he couldn't bear to stay still; there were so many risks to take, so many adventures waiting...he would experience them all. And he _would_ find those _eyes_ again.

What had been the symbol on his forehead protector?

A Leaf.

Konoha then.

He had heard whispers that a ninja village might attack there, and followed his instincts to where he would find an excuse to go to Konoha. To find the owner of those _eyes_.

To find the one he, and the monster in, him desired.


	2. Dreams

Disclaimer: I make no money off of this. I bet I could make a lot of money if I could make the characters come to life though...alas...

Kawao wasn't the only one who had strange dreams. Unnerved by his dreams, Sasuke stood in front of the stone that listed the ninja who had fallen in the service of the village. He reached out and gingerly touched one name, shoulders slumped in defeat, head bowed in sorrow.

"That idiot..." he murmured to himself, voice tight.

_It was supposed to have been a routine, C-rank mission. The right difficulty for a Jounin and his three little Genin learners. _

_But why, why did every mission that Team 7 ever went on end up being an A-rank mission or comparable! They had always been lucky, though, making it barely by the skin of their teeth. This time, though, things were looking desperate. The team had been backed up against a long drop to a temptestous fjord, and were hanging on to what position they could get with the tenacity that characterized them. A moment of weariness, a deep wound, and Sasuke found himself looking at Naruto's back as he took a jutsu meant to kill him full-force. Sasuke grabbed him as he fell, and the two skidded to the edge of the cliff, and, with what briefly felt like a weightless moment, started to fall. Sasuke's survival instincts kicked into high gear and he reached out and grabbed at a rock with both hands. He clung on for dear life as Naruto held on just as strongly a few feet down. _

"_NARUTO!"_

_Sasuke held on with all his strength and extended his other hand, leaning down precariously, chakra gluing him to the wall._

"_Grab my hand!"_

_Naruto gave Sasuke a crooked smile and reached up. The two's hands clasped and Sasuke yanked Naruto up. Naruto grabbed another handhold and the two began to scale the slippery, trecherous wall together._

'_Almost...there...'_

_Nartuo's foot slipped and Sasuke's muscles screamed in pain as he held up all of Naruto's weight. Sasuke's tired muscles were giving out, and Naruto's hand kept on slipping...slipping..._

_Sasuke felt Naruto's leave his and he yelled. Naruto twisted in the air, and tried to gain purchase on the wall. _

_It was at that moment that their opponent fell, and the rocks that were overhanging them both broke into boulders and plummeted downwards. Sasuke gasped and made himself as small as possible, clinging to the wall, but his eyes followed Naruto all the way, and he flinched as though he felt every pebble, every stone that smacked into Naruto. Sasuke yelled again when a boulder slammed into the unconcious demon-bearer, and the last he saw of Naruto was a bright orange splash against dark water and grey stone. He was about to jump in, but found that it was hard enough for him to dodge the stones; he had no intention of dying. He had too much to do...there was still Itachi and...and...Naruto would not have wanted him to die. _

_Inch by inch, Sasuke made it up to where Sakura and Kakashi were, and abruptly felt Naruto's overwhelming, annoying(comforting, though he would never admit to that), presence abruptly dissapear. It hit him like a punch in the gut, and he saw Sakura's eyes widen and Kakashi walk over to where the ocean was visible. _

_Naruto...that annoying...boisterous...kind...demon-bearer was...gone?_

_Sasuke would never say it aloud, but in his mind was the chant, 'no no no no no no...'_

'_You still have to beat me!' he cried mentally as he went over to where Kakashi was standing, both still breathing hard from the exertion of the battle._

"_Naruto is..."_

"_...gone?"_

_Kakashi looked over at Sasuke, his one Sharingan taking in the weary, annoyed boy. A small, half-hearted smirk found its way onto his face. "You'll see. He'll be back here in no time, laughing at how much he 'scared' us."_

'_He'll be back.'_

'_He has to come back.'_

The memory slowly faded into the years, but Sasuke always carried it with him, in some dark recess of his heart where he knew he had cared for Naruto.

He was currently going out with a girl he had met in Hidden Village of Cloud, much to Sakura and Ino's outward dismay.

Of course, he wasn't stupid, nor unobservant. That left them to pursue each other instead of pretending to go after him. He was amused by that, and the brief memory of him catching them kissing one night made him chuckle softly. He let his fingers trace the words,

_Uzumaki Naruto_

one last time before he turned away, and started to walk back to his lonely quarters in the Uchiha section of Konoha.

---

Kawao meandered along the road happily, humming softly to himself, his eyes a soft orange. He was close to where he needed to be to get work, he could feel it. That would bring him closer to Konoha, and the man he was pursuing.

This was rare, that a desire within him was strong enough to awaken the Fox to help him, to give him energy. He had a feeling that the only way the Fox could experience anything was through him. He and the Fox were close. He felt that the Fox was as amused by him as Kawao was of him. In the beginning, Kawao had been wary of him, some kind of residual fear left over from the time before he could remember. As the days, weeks, and years passed, he and the Fox became as close as a monsterous demon locked inside a very mortal body could be. The Fox taught him how to fight, how to use...what did he call it?...chakra, and healed him. For that, Kawao did what he could to keep the Fox quiet and happy. Overall, it was fair. It had been a little uncomfortable at first, but, with time the arrangement became acceptable to both parties. Kawao turned into the main road leading to the city that within, hopefully, Kawao could find his ticket to Konoha.

Author: everything a little more clear now? Hmmmm...


	3. Deals

Author: I apologize in advance for any out-of-character behaviour on Kakashi's part. I try, I really do. But...it's hard to switch from feral to pervy and intellegent quickly. Be kind. And review! Please, please, please PLEASE review. I live off reviews. They keep me going. Now...I hope you enjoy the story!

The months passed, and Kawao began to grow restless. Those _eyes_ haunted him in his dreams, but never was bought into traveling to Konoha. Both he and the fox believed Fate was working against them, but both knew that eventually they would end up in Konoha.

It was almost eight months to the day when he met _those eyes_ again.

Apparently, he was supposed to be doing an undercover operation, but Kawao was drawn to him as soon as he saw him. He made his way to him only to be brought up short by how he gently brushed the hair out of the eyes of the woman next to him. That gesture was affectionate, loving, and spoke that the two were not just friends. A deep, rumbling anger filled his chest, and he scowled darkly at the ground.

How to get him to himself?

The situation was made even more complicated when two others joined them; a man with silver hair and one eye covered by a hood, the other the same girl he had seen with _those eyes_ earlier. The silver-haired man seemed to feel that they were being watched, and looked about covertly until he made eye contact.

Kawao saw his one eye widen, and it was in a mixture of amazement, puzzlement, a slight tinge of cautious fear, and interest. Kawao allowed himself to wonder what the man(a name was on the edge of his conciousness, but how could he know one? He was pretty sure he'd never met yonder man before) saw when he looked at Kawao.

---

Kakashi had felt an itch of recognition since he had entered the town, a muted, muddled chakra signature that he felt he should know taunting him constantly. He had arranged to meet with Sakura, Sasuke, and Kumori(Sasuke's girlfriend), to talk over any information that they had gathered about the wayward guide-for-hire. The moment he met up with Sasuke, he felt that they were being watched...no, not all of them. Just one person in particular. The feeling was too focused to encompass the entire group. He looked around slowly and, in time, caught eyes that held him, and made him suppress a shiver.

Blood red eyes with slitted pupils. Dangerous, murderous eyes. Demon eyes. But their anger was not focused on him. The emotion from those eyes towards him were simply of amusement and an uneasy almost recognition. No, the ire in those eyes was centered on someone else. He looked at their group, and traced the line of sight from that eerie glare. He decided that the owner of those eyes was really, really pissed at either Sasuke or Kumori. He tuned his senses a little further and decided on Kumori.

But, why? She was a medic-nin and was sent on more diplomatic missions than battle-oriented ones. Kakashi turned back to look for the demon-eyes, but found that the man was gone. He frowned marginally(not that people could see, his mouth being under his mask and all), and thought. Those eyes, that power...felt eeriely like a certain demon fox that had been sealed 18 years ago.

And that was very, very bad news.

If the Kyuubi had managed to survive while Naruto died...that meant ill for Konoha if the demon was ever to meander that way again.

There would be no Yondaime this time around.

---

His waiting paid off, finally, in this city. Someone(not the group he had seen, a small group of merchants, he believed) approached him about traveling to Konoha and he had accepted. After arguing a wage, of course. The group was to set off in three day's time.

He had three days to capture those beautiful, haunting eyes.

He was currently mulling over how to do so in a small ramen stand, absently slurping up the noodles.

Well, the first obstacle was that...woman. She was attached to _those eyes_, perhaps even his girlfriend. Kawao scowled darkly at that thought, and the Fox nudged an idea into his mind. While killing her would make Kawao happy and effectively free up _those eyes_ for him, he felt he would be suspected by the other man. No, right now he had to find a way of isolating the two. Then he could take _those eyes_, make them his, and never let go of them again. His eyes flashed red briefly as he looked down at the noodles, the flicker of a smile on his face. He knew this city well; better than a group of Shinobi would. There were ways of getting people lost so that they didn't find their way back to where they had started for hours. He also had contacts here, who would also prove useful. Poor little Cloud Shinobi(how had he known she was from Cloud?). She would be so confused.

The man from earlier came in and sat down a seat away from Kawao, and a name was once again almost on his lips. The mask hiding the face...one eye covered...the other seeming perpetually bored...the hair...

'Hatake Kakashi...' the Fox whispered to him, recognizing the man immediatly. The Fox had been around Kakashi enough times to recognize his Chakra pattern in an instant.

"It's not polite to stare," Kakashi said off-handedly, but he turned to look at Kawao, also seeming intrigued. Kawao gave the ninja a wry smile.

"I'm sorry. You just don't often get the chance to meet the Copy Cat ninja everyday."

Kawao saw Kakshi's visible eye narrow slightly.

"I think you mistake me for someone else," he murmured as he recieved his bowl of ramen. The two turned to their respective bowl of food and ate in silence. Kawao finished first and gave a hearty belch of approval before smiling sweetly under the scolding of the woman behind the counter. He made small, soothing talk with her and paid. He turned to leave, but was stopped by Kakashi's voice.

"Wait. It's not everyday you meet a world-traveler like yourself. You're very elusive."

Kawao's eyes became suspicious, but he simply shrugged. "I like to keep on moving. There's always more adventures to have."

"My group and I are interested in the layout of certain areas. Could you draw us a map?"

"If you pay me well enough. I'd be giving up a chance at services later if I drew it in as much detail as I think you want me to."

"Asking price."

"Right. When do you want me to...?"

"I don't have the specifics with me currently. If you'll wait here until I get them..."

"No, I'll go with you. It would save you the effort of walking to and fro."

Kakashi felt there was another motive, one that had ill intentions towards a certain Cloud kunoichi.

"Very well."

Kakshi paid for his finished meal and stood. Kawao followed him just a step behind, remembering every inn that was in the city. He was brought to one that was mid-priced, nice enough, but not lavish. The perfect inn for travelers.

Or ninja that didn't want to be known by anyone except the very, very observant.

The other three ninja were waiting in the main room, and were pleased to find Kakashi return, but wary when they saw someone was following them. Kakashi made a brief introduction, and had Sakura explain their 'situation'. Kawao listened, nodding every now and then. He was provided with paper and a pen, and he began to quickly and efficently draw a map, explaining the important landmarks, and labeling them in meticulous handwriting.

Kakashi had a feeling that he was doing a better job for them, and had only agreed to the job in the first place, because it would bring him close to Kumori. He finished, making a small compass rose, and looked at Kakashi.

"You said you would pay asking price."

"...yes."

Kakashi had a bad feeling about this.

Kawao sprinkled some dust on the map, letting it sop up the extra ink, and then looked slowly up at Sasuke.

Sasuke supressed a shiver, for not many people look at them as if trying to memorize them. When their eyes finally locked, Sasuke saw the briefest flash of a bright blue before the color evened out to a tawny.

"Give him to me for a night."

"What!" was the reaction on both Sakura and Kumori's parts.

Kawao looked at Kakashi dryly. "He's the price. I will return him to you in good health and complete this time tommorrow."

Kakashi was about to protest, but when he saw the uncurling of a deeper red in the tawny, he sighed.

"Very well."

All three younger ninja stared at their teacher. Kawao gave Kakashi a small smile that told him that Kawao knew exactly what he had seen in Kawao's eyes. Kawao reached out and gently took Sasuke's forearm. His grip was light, almost a caress, but Sasuke had an impression of hidden strength that would be used if nessacary.

"C'mon. I've got a lot I want to show you," Kawao purred.

Finally. Those eyes were his...for the time being. But Sasuke _would_ be marked as **his** before he returned the young man to the rest of the group.

Oh, yes. He had a lot that he wanted to show _those eyes._


	4. Relations

Author: hmmm...this chapter contains yaoi. It does NOT get graphic(primarily because this is and not adultfanfiction, which, to my dismay, is down), but if you have issues with boy/boy hotness, then don't bother reading this one. It is mildly essential to the plot, but...meh. ANYWAY. Have fun reading. And, as always, REVIEW, DAMNIT.

Disclaimer: If I did own Naruto, I wouldn't allow Sasuke and Naruto out of my room and feed them aphrodisiacs.

"KAKASHI!" Sakura snarled softly at the grey-haired Jounin a few moments after Kawao and Sasuke had dissapeared outside. "WHAT THE HELL!"

Kakashi sighed softly and scratched the back of his head.

"Why did you just give him to a person we hardly know!" Kumori chimed in, equally flustered. Especially by the way that person had eyed her boyfriend.

"Would you have liked to anger a demon?" Kakashi asked softly, taking out his book of Icha Icha Tactics.

The two women stared at him.

"Then it's even more dangerous now!"

Kakashi gave Sakura a slow look. "Sakura. From how that man was acting towards Sasuke, do you think he means any harm outside of..." he trailed off, and simply shook his head and opened his book.

"Outside of what?" Kumori asked carefully.

Kakashi gave her the same slow, measured look.

Kumori continued to stare back at him, puzzled and wanting an answer.

Kakashi shook his head. It was better if she didn't understand what he was thinking might happen. That the only harm that might come to Sasuke would most likely be in the form of hickies and perhaps a tender ass.

Aside from that, Kakashi felt that Sasuke would be more protected now than he ever had been. After all, who would dare to mess with a demon that had obviously claimed something as its own?

---

Sasuke was surprised at how the strange man was treating him. He felt like he was being treasured, and it seemed as if the man(what was his name again?), was doing his best to make certain Sasuke was relaxing. There was a surprisingly large amount of things to do in this city; Sasuke was shown the entire city at a leisurely pace, and found that he slowly unwound in the man's presence, even against his will. It seemed as if the coldness he had built up around him when dealing with most other males floundered against this man's attentions.

"You're Sasuke, right?"

Sasuke looked at him, not showing his surprise. "Yes. Uchiha Sasuke."

There was the briefest flash of blue in those tawny eyes, confusing Sasuke briefly. It was gone too quickly for him to register the exact shade of blue, as he found that the eyes he was looking at were tawny again.

"My name is Kawao."

There was a pause.

"No last name?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"I was found."

"Found?"

"Yes."

That was apparently all Sasuke was going to get out of Kawao in regards to his origins. Kawao gave Sasuke a dazzling smile that reminded Sasuke faintly of someone, but he found he was pulled away towards some new destination before he could put his finger on the memory.

---

Sasuke was overwhelmed, which was rare. The two had retreated to the residence that Kawao had in that city(he always had SOMEplace to stay, no matter where he went), and Sasuke was sitting on the couch while Kawao got them cups of tea. He was lost in his own thoughts, and didn't realize that Kawao was there until he felt his head being tilted up.

He reacted instinctivly.

So did Kawao.

Sasuke had twisted into a standing position and tried to punch his attacker away, but Kawao had simply caught the punch and pulled Sasuke to him, catching and holding him to his body with his other arm. When he let Sasuke's hand go, it fell around Kawao's shoulders, and their faces were close...too close...!

As Sasuke watched, the tawny hue of Kawao's eyes changed to red, then brilliant blue, then mixed into a purple.

"Sasuke..." Kawao purred, and Sasuke tried to jerk away.

The hand on the small of his back kept him close to Kawao.

He tried to punch, kick,..anything!...but found that his body wouldn't move once Kawao's lips brushed against his collarbone, and slowly traced their way up his neck. His breath caught in his chest when those lips parted and gently nibbled on an earlobe, sending a shiver through his body.

"S-stop!"

"Why?" Kawao asked innocently, and let his hands meander lightly over Sasuke's clothes, and Sasuke succeded in pushing away this time, and fell into a fighting stance.

"I said stop."

"And I say you don't want me to."

Was it Sasuke's imagination, or had Kawao's eyes become a little more red?

Sasuke didn't even register that Kawao had moved until he felt his back hit the couch. He stared up and made to kick out, but found that by how Kawao's hands moved beneath his clothes, by the way he was pressing against Sasuke, made Sasuke really not want to move.

There was something...erotic, about having someone trying to dominate him, at the feeling of large, callused hands on his body, rather than smaller, delicate, hesitant ones. These hands _knew_ what they were doing. They pinched his nipples, making him jerk and yelp in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

The thought that he was being unfaithful hit him and he resisted again, his eyes gaining a stubborn glint.

"I'm taken."

"So?"

"You should stop! No. You WILL stop!"

"Not unless I want to," was the reply in a purr so sensuous that it made Sasuke shiver against his will.

Another objection was on Sasuke's lips, but he never remembered what it had been afterwards. His mouth was suddenly occupied with a fierce kiss, one that seared through him and claimed him.

Sasuke found himself responding, and it was once he found his tounge dancing with the other man's that he gave up.

He _wanted_ this man, and he had no idea why.

His movements, his voice, his eyes, everything...was so familiar that it made him ache. What was it about this enigma that made him forget his girlfriend, forget that he was straight...?

He found that he was straining to rub his body against Kawao's, and heard himself moan when Kawao undid the belt around his waist and slipped his shorts, and everything underneath, down his legs, his lips trailing his hands.

After that...well, Sasuke didn't quite remember outside pleasure given and taken, moans, his heart drumming in his ears, feeling skin on skin, tounge on skin, flesh in flesh.

He knew that he would probably regret this at some point. But in the moment...nothing mattered. Just the sensations and the man with bright purple eyes over him, eyes boring into his.

---

Kawao and Sasuke stopped in front of the inn where two kunoichi and one Jounin were staying. Kawao looked over at Sasuke, and their eyes met. Silently, Kawao extended his hand and placed it on Sasuke's shoulder. His eyes were a bright red.

"Sasuke...you're _mine_ now. I have marked you...and you have marked me. But, right now...you have one very jealous girlfriend looking through the upper right window." The eyes shifted from red to a mischevious tawny. Sasuke immediatly caught on.

"NO."

"But–"

"**NO**."

Kawao mock winced and gave Sasuke a grin so familiar it made Sasuke's heart ache to remember where he knew it from.

"Very well, very well," Kawao said with a dramatic sigh. His eyes became wicked.

"But I think you should pull your collar a little more tightly around your neck."

Sasuke glared at Kawao, who gave him an innocent smile.

"You will not forget me, Sasuke," Kawao said softly, his eyes an odd purple. "You are _mine_, no matter who you say you are going out with. Your _mind_, your _soul,_ your _body,_ your _eyes_...are mine. No one else's."

His eyes were a violent, violating caress.

"Remember, Sasuke...you are mine," he murmured, then turned, walking away from him and towards the section of town where he knew he would find his employees.

Sasuke watched him for a moment, pulled up his collar a little more snuggly, turned, and walked inside the inn to an anxious girlfriend, a suspicious friend, and an amused teacher.


	5. Discoveries

Author: this is fun. It appears this will be a fairly short story for me. I'm seeing at most 15 chapters. Yay! And, by the way, thank you soooo much for reviewing. Reviews make a happy author, and a happy author writes more. Smack me for any OOC-ness. I try, I really do.

Disclaimer: If Naruto belonged to me, I wouldn't be writing this, now would I?

"Sasuke! Are you okay?" Kumori asked, eyes disturbed.

Sasuke nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course."

Kumori smiled a little at his response. That was definitly Sasuke.

Sakura was not so ready to back down. "You had us(meaning herself and Kumori; Kakashi had continued to read his book and had merely blown off their concerns with a shrug and a "he'll be fine") worrying about you! What did he do to you?"

"...nothing I objected to."

Kakashi noted how vauge that answer is and snickered inwardly, and idly turned the page in his book.

"Like what?" Sakura pressed, undetered.

"He showed me around the city. He was...gentle towards me."

The inner Kakashi was laughing. He knew _exactly_ what Sasuke was saying; afterall, a ninja had to look underneath the underneath and Sasuke's words had so many double meanings that he was being honest and lying at the same time.

Sakura frowned, skeptical.

Sasuke shrugged.

"So, Kakashi. Is he the one that you were ordered to look for?"

Kakashi nodded. "I've managed to put together very little information, though. For a man who travels a lot and is well-known by reputation, his past before he became a guide-fo-hire is mostly unknown. Very strange." Kakashi looked at Sasuke. "Do you have anything?"

"He knew me. He knew my first name, even though I had not told him. When I gave him my full name, he seemed to recognize that as well. I'm not well known outside the ninja, though. I guess he could have picked up my name from when he was guiding other shinobi, but I doubt it. His name is Kawao. He would not give me a surname. He said he didn't have one, since he was 'found'. He wouldn't respond to my questions after that. He's very close-mouthed." Kakashi nodded slightly. That was all he had managed to glean as well. He had a hint of where he might have been 'found', but he wanted to check something.

"I've been asked to deliver your mission to you three. After that, I'm leaving."

Sasuke nodded and was handed a scroll by Kakashi.

"The mission is explained in there. It's not too difficult. Good luck."

Kakashi stood and walked out the door.

Sasuke looked at the two kunoichi, opened the scroll, and the three of them began to read.

---

Kakashi had avoided the fjord for a long time now. It still brought painful memories. Memories of how he had failed. He would not allow himself to be overwhelmed, though, not this time. He traced the horizon with his eyes, and then turned and followed the waters, searching, and hoping.

---

The village wasn't used to visitors, most certainly not mysterious, mildly attractive ones. They offered him what they could, pressing him for news of the world outside their small abode. The stranger humored them, and told them what he could, while also drawing out information about their past, about those who lived here, of the coming and going of the seasons; everything that would be safe, and very normal topics of conversation. He asked about the current generation of young adults, and it was then that he hit a small snag.

"Most of them stay in this village, raise families here, die here. That's the way things are. Every now and then, though, we have a restless one. My cousin twice removed was that way. But there was one in this group; he was always odd, though, so we weren't surprised."

"Oh? Who might this be? I might have met him..."

"Really? It'd be so nice to hear news of that little demon." Those present laughed slightly. "Always making trouble, he was; always very strange and headstrong. He was kind, though, and always willing to help. He also was pretty sociable; I think he had friends from the elders to the children."

"A name?"

"Oh, we don't know what his name was. He said he couldn't remember, and whenever he tried he would always become dizzy and sick for a few moments. We named him Kawao, since he came from the river. He seemed to take to the name."

"I see...I think I have met him before..." Things were fitting too neatly in place for it to be a coincidence.

"Really? You must give me some news!" a young girl cried and pushed to the front, pleading eyes fixing on the one visible eye of the traveler.

Kakashi smiled faintly, and told a brief, very edited version of what he knew.

He stayed for the night and left the next morning. The village returned to its normal, sleepy ways, the brief visitor remembered only faintly for the news he had brought.

---

Tsunade heard a sharp knock on her door, and she looked up from the latest pile of paperwork.

"Come in."

Kakashi entered, looking sad and pleased at the same time.

"You're done your mission?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"And?"

There was a long, thoughtful pause.

"The Kyuubi is not dead."

Tsunade stared and was about to say something when Kakashi cut in,

"And neither is his bearer."

Tsunade's mouth closed.

"So...?"

"Uzumaki Naruto is still alive. However, he remembers nothing of the person he was." There was a pause, and when Kakashi spoke again, a note of wry amusement was tinging his voice, "And it seems his obsession with Sasuke had not died down."

"Great. Another one after Uchiha," Tsunade growled at the parchment. What could they feasibly _do_ in this situation? It would be dangerous to try and reawaken Naruto's memories, if he still had any vestiges at all. She didn't want to deal with an irate Kyuubi if she pushed too hard. She didn't know how the village would react if he was accepted back into their ranks; Naruto had been mistrusted even when he was young; how would the people feel now that the Kyuubi and its bearer seemed to be back from the dead?

"Shit," Tsunade breathed and put her head in her hands. She took a deep breath and looked back up at Kakashi. "There's very little we can do right now. Keep an eye on him. Report to me if anything seems to change about his situation."

Kakashi raised his single visible eyebrow. "He's going to be here in two weeks' time."

"What?" Tsunade asked, a dangerous growl to her voice, implying that if Kakashi had suggested that to Naruto that she would have him put into a very, very unomfortable position. Most likely mediating the confrontation between Naruto and the townspeople.

"He's signed up to guide a group of merchant to here. I checked up on them; no missing nin or ninja among them. Simply civilians employing a well-known, trustworthy guide."

Tsunade's shoulders slumped. "Very well. Let's see how he reacts when he arrives here. He's been here before, but that was _before_ he met Sasuke. Let's see if that encounter changed anything."

Kakashi nodded and turned to leave.

"Keep a watch on him anyway."

Kakashi paused, then nodded.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."


	6. Musings

Author: Reviews make a happy author. Yay for all of you who reviewed! Much appreciated. This is, more than anything else, a transition chapter. A way of looking a little deeper into the characters...mwahaha. Er...yes. Read! Review! **_PLEASE!_**

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would have everything that had anything to do with Itachi. Right now, I am contenting myself with a keychain and a wristband. Since I don't, we assume Naruto and all associated things does not belong to me. Much sadness.

The group set up camp for the night, a flurry of noise as Kawao meandered out into the forest and began to set up a few things. He stopped about a mile away from the camp and murmured as he touched the ground. A shot of blue chakra lept from his hand to the ground and split to race away in two separate arcs. He retreated to within half a mile from the camp and murmured again as he touched the ground. This time the chakra was purple, and he continued whispering until he felt the two strands of energy connect on the other side of a circle, and he smiled. He retreated then to the outermost edges of the camp and set up one last barrier, this one purely red. He then turned and went back into the camp proper and began to help as his small band settled in for the night.

They were one day away from Konoha. That was why he had taken the risk and set up a series of barriers for their protection. The first had been simply to let him know if any human presence passed by them. The second, if triggered by hostile intent, would trap them in a nice illusion he and the Fox had come up with a few years back. He found it was a very effective deterent.

IF they survived, of course.

The last barrier was simply to keep them out. The Fox assured him that it would take around 15 or so highly-skilled ninja who had chakra to spend idly in spades. He doubt any would, though. If they hit that barrier and the intent that was laced into it, they'd probably pass them by. The Fox said not many humans would deal with a demon.

Unless they were insane, of course.

Like Kawao. Who really had had no choice.

Ah, well.

Kawao settled in the branches of a tree, sighed once he found a comfortable spot, and pulled a blanket he was being lent around him tightly.

He was near Konoha. Which meant he was near _those eyes_. Which meant he may have an opportunity...

Yeah, right.

He had seen the way the two women had looked at him. If they heard that he was in town and Sasuke was as well, the two would do their best to keep him away. He grinned into the darkness. That would be fun, seeing who is better; two trained ninja or a man with a lot of determination and lust for what belonged to him. Remembering that, he pulled away his shirt on his shoulder a little, and looked at the mark burned into his skin. He remembered having seen it on that beautiful, seductive body sprawled out beneath him. He had found it distasteful, maring the perfection of that expanse of creamy skin.

So he had taken it away and replaced it with something less objectionable. Something that had marked Sasuke as _his_. It was a small spiral, one that was only a slightly darker color than Sasuke's skin color. Unnoticable. Until Sasuke was in danger. Then...then, if needed, Sasuke could call on some of his and the Fox's chakra. If he did that, Kawao would also know Sasuke was in danger, and would go to him without another though. He protected what was his. He closed his eyes slowly, and a lazy, satisfied smirk drifted across his face.

Uchiha Sasuke...

---

He was falling. He twisted in midair, and tried to find purchase on a slippery surface, but found that he was unable to, which was frustrating.

Wait, if this dream was about falling, he would never hit the ground. That'd mean death. No worries. He'd just enjoy the feeling of the air rushing past him at a dizzying rate.

To his alarm, he did hit something. Something wet, and that seeped into his skin. He thrashed, but found that he was weighed down by clothes, and by something else, something heavy that was pinning him from the chest down. He pushed against it, but the thing never budged. He tried to yell, but found himself sucking in water. He felt himself fading, and struggled to cling onto life. He saw a pair of yellow eyes and reached out towards them.

He woke up with his arm extended in front of him, and his body was covered in sweat, as well as the heavy rain that was seeping down through the leaves of the tree he had made his home in. Kawao grumbled darkly and pulled the blanket over his head, and jumped out of the tree. He climbed into a large hollow at the base of the same tree, and leaned back against the inside of the trunk. He would trade spiders and other bugs for getting wet any day. He hated water. Was terrifeid of it, really, but would never admit to it. He knew how to swim. He just didn't like to. He wasn't afriad. Even though he found himself shaking if he had to ford through any river deeper than his waist. He was a good swimmer, strong. He just...hated...water. So did the Fox, so they did their best to avoid mutual discomfort. Why seek out soemthing bad?

He shivered slightly as a muted memory of the feeling of drowning, from both the dream and a previous experience(though he couldn't recall any time that would have happened), and hunched over, and contented himself to wait for the dawn.

---

Sasuke felt an odd jolt and rubbed his shoulder, confused. He expanded his senses and shudderd. _He_ was here. Why?

Sasuke found himself standing, and was alarmed. What the fuck? Did he actually want to _see_ him?

_You are mine, no matter who you say you are going out with. Your mind, your soul, your body, your eyes...are **mine**. No one else's._

Sasuke shook his head slowly. He didn't need to remember that. Didn't need to remember the feel of that man's hands exploring, taunting, caressing, violating...didn't need to remember the particular shades that man's eyes were when they fu-...no, when they made love. It was too gentle, there was too much emotion in that man, too much tenderness to simply call it 'fucking' or 'having sex'. That man had _cared_ about Sasuke, for reasons Sasuke didn't know. As he thought, he found his body responding to the remembered sensations, and balked.

NO!

He had a _girlfriend_, damnit!

He was _straight!_

But...those eyes...that body...that strange feeling in his chest...when...when...

When his eyes became bright blue. A bright blue that made him ache, made vauge images and past emotions float up within him.

'_Why did you do this?'_

'_I don't know. My body moved by itself.'_

Sasuke shivered. When had he said that, again? Who had he been talking to?

A sunny smile. Bright yellow hair. Mischevious bright blue eyes.

'_Teme! I'm going to become Hokage!'_

There was a name...almost remembered...buried because of a pain too deep to bear...

Almost..there...

"SASUKE! Earth to Sasuke!"

Sasuke started and looked at his girlfriend, puzzled and alarmed.

"Kumori?"

"Are you alright, Sasuke? You were out of it."

Sasuke gave her a gentle smile that made her smile back. "Just thinking about the past."

"You do that too much."

Sasuke's smile became wry and Kumori laughed.

"Come on. Don't brood," she said softly as she pulled Sasuke to her, her arms looping around his neck. "Are you busy?"

"I don't have any pressing matters, if that's what you're asking."

"Rainy days always make me feel so cold."

Sasuke smiled faintly at the playful look in Kumori's eyes and kissed her gently.

It wasn't the same.


	7. Recognition

Author: I'm being mean to the poor characters. Ah, well. He couldn't exist in ignorance forever; I wouldn't let him. so, thank you all for your reviews! They mean the world to me. Seriously. So, since you know that, it won't kill you to comment(again). Now, onward!

Disclaimer: Who the hell would think Naruto would belong to some stupid American fangirl?

Kawao was taking the day off. The rain had cleared since yesterday, when he and the group he had been guiding made it to Konoha with no mishaps. The Fox had ground caution into him, though. If he could avoid injury and annoyance, all the better. The Fox liked Kawao in one piece, and so did Kawao. He had been meandering around the town, and was amused, as on his previous occasions, that Konoha was almost like any other village he had visited. There were always the same type of people everywhere he went. The only addition to this village were the forehead protectors that so many bore with pride. Kawao idly touched the dark blue band at his neck, and his eyes became sad. The Fox had forbid him to wear it correctly, because that would a)draw attention to himself, b)mark him as something he wasn't and c) could scare away potential clients. All those put together convinced him that while he would never let the band out of his sight(unless it was to woo and shmex Sasuke...);he would never wear it, either.

He hadn't been looking where he was going, and stopped abruptly, and let a wayward shuriken wiz by his chest. It embedded itself into a tree, and Kawao pulled it out with some amusement. He heard a male voice scolding someone, and Kawao turned to look.

It felt as if time abruptly stopped and then dropped him with a crash into a time long ago.

The same man was there, but looked a little younger. The scar across the bridge of his nose, his voice, his demeanor...everything spoke volumes to something within Kawao. But he found that he was looking _up_ at the man. The man then moved, and Kawao was back in the present. The man gave Kawao a rueful smile.

"You should be more careful where you wander," he said, is voice still holding a bit of a scold, but also laced with exasperation and amusement.

"Iruka-sensei?" Kawao said softly, his eyes a bright blue, wide, alarmed, and confused. "Did you get shorter?"

Iruka became mildly wary, but also confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met before."

Iruka watched as Kawao looked away, blue eyes hurt before the blue abruptly disappeared and was replaced by a strange tawny. Kawao looked back up at Iruka, and gave him a grin.

"You're right. We haven't met. You just reminded me of someone I knew once, a long time ago."

Kawao lightly tossed the shuriken back to Iruka, controlling it well enough to make it easily catchable. He then looked at the group of children practicing throwing shuriken, and his smile became rueful.

"You must have a lot of patience to deal with so many. I trained a few kids in my village to defend themselves, but I guess the training, being more rigorous in a ninja village, requires more patience than teaching a few brats how to punch and where to punch."

Iruka looked back to the kids with a faint smile on his face.

"They're a handful, but they're this village's future." Iruka's voice became a little strained. "But it's sometimes hard to remind myself of that."

Kawao grinned and laughed a little. "I'll leave you to them. I've disrupted your class long enough."

Kawao nodded politely(enough), then turned and walked away.

Iruka watched him recede, and his mind was working overtime. That voice, those eyes...he had sworn he had seen three parallel scratches on that man's cheeks. The sense of recognition was overwhelming. He just needed to think a little. And then he would know who that man was.

---

Kawao leaned heavily against the fence, and a hand found its way up to his head.

'What is...going on?'

He pushed off the wall, and regained his composure, even though how he had known Iruka's name was still a mystery to him. As was the onslaught of feelings, confused and muddled images, and words that occasionally got past his barriers. There was one word left out of every sentence he heard though, and he felt that it was vitally important to hear it, to _know_ it. He turned a corner, lost in thought, and almost bumped into a young woman, but with their combined reflexes, they were both far apart from ever hitting each other.

"Oh...sorry..." Kawao said, and rubbed the back of his neck in chagrin, giving her an apologetic smile.

"N-no, it's okay," she said softly.

Kawao looked at her, and felt that she was pretty, but would be more so if she had a little more confidence in her body language. Her hair was dark black, and her eyes were a pale white/grey that would have creeped him out if they had not felt so...familiar.

"Hinata-sama!"

Kawao's muscles instinctivly tensed, and he had to suppress a feeling of unreasonable irritation.

"Hinata-sama." The voice he had heard belonged to a young man with the same type of hair and eyes, only his eyes were colder, arrogant, and severely grated on Kawao's nerves.

"Neiji-kun, I'm sorry. I just felt...a familiar presence, and went to check it out."

Neiji sighed softly and looked over at Kawao, and tensed. Neiji saw the barely checked anger, saw the orange and red flickering like fire in the man's eyes. Kawao gave Neiji a barely-visible smile that said he wouldn't kill him–yet, and nodded before turning and heading off in another direction. Neiji came up close next to his cousin, and put one hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Hinata nodded, and watched Kawao disappear around a corner, and she frowned slightly, brow furrowing in thought.

"He felt so...familiar. Like...Naruto..."

Neiji scowled slightly at that name. "Naruto is dead. Perhaps you're feeling a little sick, and so your perceptions are distorted."

"Maybe..."

Hinata allowed herself to be led away, but she _knew_, on the most instinctive level, that the man she had nearly run into was Naruto. She was _certain_. How it was possible, though, was another story. She would seek him out again. Perhaps that would give her more answers.

---

Kawao had to get out of this god-forsaken village. NOW. He walked slowly away from the town, and after a turn came to a spot with a magnificent view of the mountain that overlooked Konoha. Kawao felt his breath leave his body in an instant, and he could only stare, transfixed, at the faces that looked benignly down upon the village of fire. Before his eyes, Kawao saw Sandaime's face(how did he know that!)alter, become more alive, with a rueful smile and sadness in his eyes as Sandaime looked upon Kawao alone. With a great effort of will, Kawao tore his eyes away and then began to sprint in the direction he knew the gates were.

He was never, ever, going to enter this village again. He'd guide people to it, but he would never pass beneath the gates again. Even if _those eyes_ wanted him t...no, he would return if Sasuke asked. So, the only way he would ever return would be because of Sasuke. He slowed down to a walk, and gave the people guarding the gates a small smile and a nod before walking into the forest. He picked a random direction and began to run, relishing the pain that tore through his legs as he overworked himself by taking the hardest course, leaping over roots barely in time.

To some surprise, he broke out into a clearing. There, he saw three well-worn, wooden poles, and some sort of monument to one side. Curious, and going against his better judgement(when had he ever listened to it anyway?), he walked slowly over to the monument. Name after name after name. His gaze rested on one name, one that seemed fuzzy to his eyes. He reached out and touched it, trying to brush away whatever was hiding it.

_Uzumaki Na–_

"Yo."

Kawao turned abruptly on his heel, and relaxed only marginally when he saw it was the strange grey-haired, one-eyed ninja that had allowed him to take Sasuke in exchange for the map.

"Hi."

Kakashi stopped by Kawao's side and looked where he had been.

"Have you heard of that one?"

Kawao paused, then shook his head. "No. Should I have?"

Kakashi looked at him with the one visible eye and shrugged.

"These are the names of the heros of the village; those who died in battle for our sake."

Kawao's eyes looked a little sadder, and there was a flash of blue in them, hurt, and sad, and completely understanding the significance.

"Huh. So you think only those who die are heros? I think I'd rather be a _living_ hero than a memory on some stone."

Kakashi looked at Kawao evenly, and it did not escape his notice that the man was shaking a little, and his voice had not been so certain. His eyes were an uncertain mud-color, also betraying his unease.

"Whatever. Who am I to judge?" Kawao gave Kakashi a wry, almost mocking, smile and then turned. "I've got more important things to do than stare at some stone."

With that, Kawao disappeared into the treeline, and out of Kakashi's physical sight.

"What is more important than knowing who you are?" Kakashi asked softly, and then turned his head back to looking at the stone, and his heart felt marginally lighter knowing that at least one of those names did not belong on this stone.


	8. Attacks

Author: heh. Good chapter. Fun to write, this one was. by the way, thanks to all of you who reviewed(and even more to those who put this story on their Story Alert List(!).) Well, on with the show...

Btw, Bagel-san. If I make any stupid mistakes with the characters, feel free to hit me and make me change stuff. Same goes to all other readers, too, though. OOC-ness is evil, and I wish to rectify as best as possible.

Disclaimer: Naruto, in all its forms, does not belong to me. I damn well wish Itachi did though...

Kawao's whole body shuddered, and he leaned heavily on a tree; without that, he would have fallen to the ground.

'Stop it! STOP IT!'

The memories...images..._things_ were haunting him, dogging his every step. He would pause for a moment and he would hear the whisper of a laugh, catch a snippet of conversation, see the briefest flash of a smile. He would see a face he had never come across before, and have an aching sense of recognition that made him want to cry.

'FOX!'

Kawao slumped down onto the ground, shaking, his arms wrapped tightly around him.

Falling...falling...sharp pinpricks of pain down his body, a dazing blow to his torso...a moment of breathlessness, then biting cold...

'Stop it!'

A brief release of chakra, the red swirling around him in a spiral, covering him, but not protecting him from the onslaught from within. With a groan, Kawao stilled, and after a long moment, the chakra dissapeared and he stood.

"Tch. I didn't think it would be that bad," Kyuubi said as he stood, rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. "He can't hide from them forever, though. I'll let him rest back there, and do my best to control the unlocking of his memories. After all, what good is a host that is insane?"

Kyuubi closed his eyes, and after he had molded chakra the way he wanted, he let the jutsu go, and twitched as it settled on his like a cloak.

"That should take a month. Good! A month to myself," Kyuubi purred and lept into the trees, and began his journey again, far, far away from Konoha.

---

Kyuubi dropped off the people he had been guiding at the gates of the Cloud Village, and shifted uneasily. Something was wrong with _those eyes._ He could feel it. The mark on his shoulder was prickling strangely, and he turned away from the gates, having recieved his pay at the beginning of the trip, and began to walk away. Once far enough not to raise the alarm in the village full of ninja, he lightly touched the mark on his shoulder and sent out his senses through it.

He snarled and immediatly teleported to Konoha.

---

He hadn't seen a battle this fierce since his own duel with Konoha.

That didn't matter, though. Where was _he?_ He scanned the village and pinpointed him. Surrounded by quite a few high-level ninja. Fighting alongside others, though...shit.

Ah, well.

Kyuubi closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were bright blue. Around him, red chakra flared, and molded about him. What was left was a fox-like being with seven tales and brilliantly blue eyes. With a roar, he jumped into the fray, and the newest generation of Konoha got to witness what it meant to fight a demon.

---

Sasuke heard the roar and shivered, but didn't allow himself to be distracted. It was only when a fox-like creature landed silently behind their enemies that Sasuke allowed his eyes to widen a little.

The creature was unmerciful; it took it two minutes to removed all the enemies from the district Sasuke was fighting in. It took great care, though, not to harm any Konoha ninja. Once the enemies had either fled or were dead, the creature huffed and looked over at Sasuke.

Sasuke had never seen a fox, or a demon, with blue eyes before.

The fox paced languidly over to Sasuke and twined about him like a large, very dangerous, cat. The pure chakra buzzed against his skin, tickling him a little, and though Sasuke knew very well that he should be afraid, he was never one to show fear, and it felt as if this demon meant no harm to him. Just everyone who would hurt Sasuke.

"There are other parts of the village that need help."

_Then I'll come with you, _said a voice in Sasuke's head, a weird melding of two different timbres. Sasuke nodded, reluctantly, and then took off, with the fox just a step behind him.

Those who had saught to invade Konoha had a rude awakening when a demon appeared to fight on Konoha's behalf. That was...unexpected. Those smart enough to recognize the immense danger they were in bolted, and those who were trapped, or clung to orders, died painfully and horribly. It seemed the demon was not happy with those who invaded the village, and was even more protective of one specific ninja.

They leanred very, very quickly not to attack Uchiha Sasuke.

Once all the enemy nin had retreated, died, or were captured, the demon finally relaxed enough to sit down next to Sasuke. It then did the very human gesture of cuffing the young man on the head.

_Sasuke...teme..._ the last bit was added with the slightest bit of humor, _Next time, ask for me to come, rather than me feeling you're in danger, and not knowing why. Or you could just borrow my chakra._

"What?" Sasuke asked, puzzled, but not showing it.

The demon nudged Sasuke's shoulder, and the cloth fell off it enough to reveal a deep red mark on his shoulder in the shape of a spiral.

_Next time, if you need more power, just touch that and ask for chakra. Trust me, you will get it._

"Wait...then you are...?"

_Oops. Looks like I've outstayed my welcome. _The fox's azure eyes became sad. _I'm glad I could help you, Sasuke. But it really does look like I have to give up both my dreams._

The fox nudged Sasuke gently again, the gesture affectionate and playful, though edged with sadness.

_I will see you again._

It was a statement, not a question, so Sasuke merely nodded.

In a swirl of deep red chakra, the demon fox that had been there a moment before was now gone.

---

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke turned in time to catch his girlfriend in his arms, and held her gently to him.

"Sasuke! Are you alright?"

Sasuke nodded slightly and gave her a small smile. "Of course."

"I was so worried!"

Sasuke was waiting in the hospital, wanting to check on Kakashi and Sakura, and he was also requested(ordered) to come to the clinic. Just in case to see if the red chakra that would have most likely seeped into him had any averse effects on his sanity or pysical health.

Sasuke kissed Kumori lightly, to show her he really _was_ okay, and was struck again by how different it felt from kissing...him.

Kumori gave Sasuke a small, unsure smile and hugged him tightly. "I'm just glad all that is over."

Sasuke merely nodded.

He was dragged away from his girlfriend and was shoved into a room to wait for the Hokage. Sasuke sighed softly and leaned back in the uncomfortable chair. He closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to wander.

The demon had been interesting. He had never seen a fox with blue eyes before. Maybe it was a peculiarity of demons? Sasuke found himself rubbing his shoulder and pulled back the cloth. There was mark there, one he hadn't seen before it had been pointed out. It was slowly fading from a deep red to his skin color; very ingenious. Wait...Kawao had said he'd _marked_ him. Is this what he had meant? Then, wait...then that fox was Kawao. But...at the same time, it wasn't. Kawao had tawny eyes, eyes like a normal fox, while those were blue. He looked at the mark again, and idly traced it. A spiral. Where had he seen spirals before?

Bright blonde hair. And orange jacket a shade so bright that it hurt to look at it for long. Whisker-marks...a sunny smile..._I'm going to be Hokage!_

_...it really does look like I have to give up both my dreams_...

Blue eyes.

_Sasuke-teme!_

Watching him fall as he slipped out of a desperate hold.

No...

Fucking...

Way...

"_NARUTO!"_ Sasuke whispered.

_...it really does look like I have to give up both my dreams_...

Sasuke knew that one of the dreams was to be Hokage. But what could the other possibly be?

Sasuke was pulled out of his thoughts as the Hokage entered. He would think more on his discovery later.


	9. Brooding

Author: yay! Sasuke has a clue, and Naruto returns! Mwahahaha. This is a lot of Naruto, not a lot of action. I swear that I'll try to make there be more action and less drama, but...no solid promises. Anyway! Review! It does an author good.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs not to the Author. If he did, I would trade him for Itachi.

Naruto never drank. He made it a rule never to drink. But somedays, like today, you just _needed_ it. The pain was overwhelming.

Naruto untied the scarf around his neck and let it fall in front of him, letting it lie right-side up. He had never really looked at it before. He had, at one time, and it gave him a massive headache, so he never looked at it again. But now that he could look at it, the sorrow weighed heavily on his heart.

After all he had done, all he had gone through, he would never be able to wear it. After all, he wasn't a missing-nin in the sense that he was evil and had willingly left the village. He traced the deep scratch that bisected the leaf symbol, then took another sip of sake.

"Damnit..."

Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. Why did he have to like Sasuke? Why did he ever go back to Konoha? It should have been apparent, there should have been a natural wariness that warned him away from the place, if he didn't want to have to deal with all..._this_. But, no. He guessed that there was a part of him that wanted the memories back, wanted what he had lost.

But, dear god...

_It was bound to happen,_ the Fox said unapologetically in his head. Naruto winced. He hated to admit that the Fox had a point.

Naruto had more to adapt to than just being on more friendly and intimate terms with the Fox. There was also the new skills he had created, there was his OTHER past, there was the part of him that was Kawao. How in hell was he supposed to reconcile a part of him that had developed completly independantly? Shit shit shit shit. He'd have to find a way, though. He wouldn't have three different aspects of himself debating over how he should react to something.

DAMNIT!

Stupid Fox. It was so hard to get drunk with that thing's monsterous metabolism.

So, what now? He definitly couldn't go back to Konoha. Not when they knew that the Fox was still around, even though it had saved their sorry asses.

It was so much easier to insult people when you were ineberated. Made even the stupidest, most childish insults seem much more potent. Good times.

He had meant what he said when he told Sasuke he would have to give up both of his dreams. Becoming Hokage was no longer an option; as if people would consent to be guided by the Kyuubi. The thought of how much he would have to break their pride to submit made him snort. That would take longer than the age of the universe. Konoha ninja were notoriously stubborn. That dream would have died so much harder had he been concious of it for these past seven years. But there was his other dream, his hearts deepest, darkest desire, that was torturing him even as he sat, trying to drown that dream. It had been with him all the time, even when he wasn't concious of it, when he wasn't certain who it was.

Others his age had lusted after and wooed the others in the village he had lived in, and flirted with the occasional stranger. Kawao had known that there had been a few people who had desired him, but he had never really cared. There was someone else, a person he knew would make him feel complete, would drive him insane, and make him never want to leave that person's side. He supposed he had taken up wandering to find that person...to find Sasuke. To find the one he...

When he was younger, Naruto had dismissed those feelings, playing them off as simply rivalry, and had concentrated on wooing Sakura, with no success. He was able to look back on it now and see that his feelings were superficial. He had them because it helped him connect with everyone else, everything else, with NORMALCY. He didn't have the same kind of "normal" that most kids did. He wanted some of it, and Sakura offered that chance, so held on to it as best as he could. But now...now that he had an idea of what "normal" really was, he saw that, in comparison to the outside world, living in Konoha was like living in a really warped bubble. In there, it forced you to grow up more quickly, but also had you remain a little innocent of what everyday life was like, what "normal" people did to get by. Being a ninja was easier than being "normal". Normal meant uncertainties. Ninja had a set goal, had things to accomplish. Being normal meant you meandered through life, uncertain of your reason for being, your reason for doing anything. Naruto hated uncertainties. Kawao relished them.

And that was just the beginning of the personality conflict.

Naruto moaned faintly and let his head fall to the table with a thunk, landing on the forehead protector, the metal cold against his forehead. How would he manage to reconcile Naruto with Kawao? He didn't want to have multiple personalities. He already had the Fox as a completly separate entitiy within him. He didn't want another side of himself. He'd have to find a way of absorbing Kawao, of becoming him, partially. Afterall, Kawao was Naruto, just without the ninja background. Right?

Fuck.

Naruto lifted his head and took another sip of sake.

HOW!

Unable to finish the drink, he stood, dropped the payment on the table and walked out, still quite sober even though he would have drank anyone else under the table.

Naruto walked out into the small town, smiling at the families that passed by. Tonite was apparently a festival. Festivals were good. He had loved festivals. They were times when people seemed to relax a little, and it allowed him to do what he wanted without interference of any kind, either as Naruto or Kawao. He meandered out of the small town, sidestepping children running ahead of more sedate parents, politely not looking into dark nooks where young couples hid from their elders, and stepped into the forest, where he allowed himself to relax.

Memories still drifted into him every now and then...

The feel of Sasuke's lips on his, the sweat that coated sasuke's body, the soft moans that made him shiver and crave to hear them again...

He wanted Sasuke. With all of his being.

And he would never have him.

_NO_, snarled the Fox and even as he thought that, it instinctivly repelled him. What was he thinking? What was he, the Great Uzumaki Naruto, _thinking_! When did he begin to give up this easily?

Sasuke would be _his_. He would make _those eyes_ his.

Naruto touched the curse seal he had taken from Sasuke, and his eyes became a soft, strange green. There was no debate. Sasuke would belong to him.

But how?

Naruto meanderd in and out of the trees, absently stepping over tree roots and walking around other obstacles that most humans would not have seen even if they had been blatantly looking for them.

How would he get Sasuke?

The Fox once again produced the image of killing Kumori to get Sasuke.

Naruto dismissed it, as did the part of him that was Kawao. Too obvious, too dangerous. Hazardous for his health.

When Sasuke was on a mission, then?

That might work...

But how would he know? When would be the right time? Sasuke, afterall, was a ninja of Konoha, and if he dissapeared, he would be counted as a missing nin, and with his familial relations being what they were...Naruto could see Konoha assuming the worst. No, that wouldn't do.

Sasuke wouldn't content himself to live as a civilian.

Damn...what were the options?

Naruto reluctantly admitted to himself that the only opportunity might be to reveal himself as alive to Konoha, to the Godaime. Then what, though? It wasn't like the Kyuubi carrier would be welcomed back with open arms. Even if he _had_ saved them before. No, he would have to do something to drastically indebt them to him.

But...didn't he already do that by saving them?

No, he had indebted them to the _kyuubi_.

He would have to indebt them to _Naruto_.

Then they would _have_ to at least tolerate his presence. Again.

He had to begin all over.

No, wait. There were still people there who cared for him. There was still Iruka-sensei, Hinata-chan...and Sasuke.

The thought of Sasuke made him want to purr.

Kumori dampened that happiness a little, but she was shoved to the side. Kyuubi and he would make it very clear to Kumori who Sasuke _really_ belonged to.

And Kyuubi never took "no" as an answer.


	10. Questions

Author: -purrs- smut smut smut smut. Not too bad, mind you, since this _is_ lime-esq? A great many things implied? Perhaps. Have fun reading. And review! Please?

Disclaimer: -laughs- who the hell thinks I own Naruto? Please point them out to me and I will set them straight. Because they can't possibly be more wrong.

Sasuke couldn't get him out of his head. He tried, he really did. But it felt as if the moment Kumori left his side, that she became inconsequential, almost...a nuisance.

They had been going out for a while. He had convinced himself he cared for her.

Ah, word choice.

_Cared_ for her. Not _loved _her.

Was he really that shallow?

When it came to relationships, yes. He didn't allow himself to really _love_. Not when _that_ man could take everything away from him. Having a woman he cared about, but did not love, was safe. He would grieve for her, but he would not be heavily scarred. Having her also distinguished him from Itachi; Itachi had no-one; now he, Sasuke, had something Itachi didn't. It was mildly childish, but it felt good. He was sitting in a tree, resting from a mission, on lookout while Sakura and Kakashi set up camp.

What would it have been like to work with Naruto...?

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke turned and looked at Sakura, who was standing below him on the ground.

"Are you going to take first watch?"

Sasuke nodded.

"I'll take second, and Kakashi will take third," Sakura said, explaining to Sasuke and herself.

Sasuke nodded.

Sakura gave him a smile and walked away.

Sasuke knew she had interpreted his reticence as a combination of his normal behavior and desire to see Kumori.

Oh, god, how she was wrong about that second part. Since he had been on missions after the encounter with Kyuubi, after his realization, he had had interrupted sleep, vague dream-like memories of that one night...and he found himself consistently wondering what it would be like if that happened again.

Which was a very, very bad sign.

He was straight.

Right?

Sasuke kept lookout and let his mind wander even as he was constantly aware of the surroundings. Which was why he was able to pick up that familiar, desired, presence.

"I'm going to check something out," Sasuke told Sakura as he quickly swung by the camp.

Sakura nodded, and said she would watch over camp while Kakashi rested. Sasuke didn't bother to listen much further than

"I'll take care of things here"

before he took off into the night.

---

Naruto knelt by the stream, and tried to come to grips with the tawny eyes he saw in the water. He had been trying for a week or two now to somehow combine what he identified himself as and who he identified Kawao as. It hadn't been an easy task. Slowly, though, he was beginning to incorporate Kawao into Naruto. It was moving at a pace that Naruto chafed at, but, hey. Six to seven years of developing a different personality isn't something to be solved in a matter of days, or even weeks. He would be patient, for once. He knew this was important, and even the Kyuubi was attempting to help.

_I won't live in an insane host, _he had told Naruto time and again.

Naruto splashed some water on his face, and froze. He felt a flicker of chakra, and immediately identified it as Sasuke. He stood up, and waited for the young man to arrive.

When he did, the two of them stared at each other for a long moment.

The distance between them abruptly vanished, and Sasuke found himself pulled against a strong chest, held in place by arms that were wont to let him go.

"Sasuke," Naruto purred, his eyes that strange purple mix that reminded Sasuke of that time.

"Naruto."

"You know." He didn't sound surprised.

"Since the Kyuubi incident. I'm not stupid."

"But you are stubborn," Naruto murmured against Sasuke's ear before he took it gently between his teeth, making Sasuke shudder and suppress a moan.

"Naruto!"

"See what I mean?" he purred, letting Sasuke's ear go. "You keep on trying to convince yourself you don't want me, when I know you do. Because _I_ want you, too."

"I have a girl–" his words were cut short as Naruto pressed their lips together, silencing whatever protests Sasuke was going to dredge up.

Naruto's arms relaxed enough to let his hands slowly work on Sasuke's back, easing out the tension and making Sasuke moan against his lips and lean more heavily against him. After Sasuke was fully resting on him, Naruto let his hands drift and slip under Sasuke's shirt, making him shiver.

Naruto could almost _feel_ Sasuke think "Fuck it."

Sasuke's hands began to drift around Naruto's body, exploring the differences between the female body he was used to touching and Naruto's, and relishing them. He kissed the juncture of jaw and ear, and slowly began to trace down Naruto's neck, who tilted his head just slightly to allow Sasuke better access to the tender flesh. Sasuke shivered and arched against Naruto's touch as Naruto traced lazy circles down his spine. Sasuke slipped his hands down Naruto's pants after silently unbuckling the belt that held them closed.

The moan that Naruto uttered when Sasuke's cold fingers touched his most sensitive areas was worth the effort to forget Kumori. Not that it was hard. Naruto pushed Sasuke back, and they landed heavily on the detritus that covered the forest floor, Naruto pinning Sasuke to the ground. Sasuke snarled softly, and glared up at Naruto. Who had a small smile on his face.

"Show me those _eyes_. Those beautiful, dangerous, seductive eyes."

It took Sasuke a moment to process what Naruto/Kawao/Kyuubi meant, since they were doing wonderfully distracting things to him.

Sharingan. Naruto wanted him to use Sharingan.

That had so many possibilities...

Sasuke learned many things from the demon bearer that night.

---

"Sasuke?"

A noise of acknowledgement came from the man lying beside him, recovering from their tryst.

"How can I steal you from your girlfriend?"

"WHAT!"

"Shhh. Quiet. How can I take you from the girl that doesn't deserve you? That you don't physically want?"

"Naruto." Sasuke's voice was reprimanding, but he could barely make it sound convincing.

"C'mon, Sasuke. Face it. You l–, you want me as much as I desire you."

Naruto moved so that he was looking down into Sasuke's now-dark eyes.

"By the way, Kyuubi wants you as well. All of you. And he will not take "no" or "But I'm straight!" for an answer. Because you belong to him, to me...since I gave you that mark." Naruto lightly touched the spiral, his finger moving in ever larger circles that made Sasuke shiver.

Concentrate. He had to concentrate.

It was so hard with him there, leaning over him, body slightly shiny with sweat, bleached-blond hair stuck out in that pleasently messy after-sex way, his bright blue eyes looking down on him in all serious playfullness.

"Speaking of that mark...what happened to the curse seal?"Sasuke managed to say after a long moment.

"Curse seal?" Naruto mimiced in confusion. "This thing?" Naruto asked and pointed at his shoulder. Sasuke, after managing to focus his eyes on something _other_ than Naruto's lucious body, noted that the curse seal that Orochimaru had given him was now on Naruto's shoulder. It was disconcerting, in a way.

"Yeah, that. How'd you get it?"

"We didn't like it on you, so we took it away. The chakra and stuff that bound it to you was of no consequence."

Right. A curse seal placed by a Sannin was of no consequence. Just how strong _was_ Naruto?

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to see each other again."

"Yes. We do."

"So that we can spar."

"Really now?"

"Yes. I want to see how strong you are. Without using Kyuubi."

Naruto paused for a moment, then nodded. "Fine."

"Now, about the original question," Naruto continued.

"Hm?"

"How do I get you from your girlfriend?"

Sasuke sputtered and abruptly sat up, making an excuse that he had been away on "patrol" long enough.

"Right. Then you're going to let _me_ think of nice, inventive ways of stealing you away?"

Sasuke gave him a "Don't you dare try to harm her" look.

Naruto shrugged and gave a toothy grin.

Sasuke sighed.

He didn't _want_ to leave, but he knew that he had outstayed the ability for him to use patrolling as an excuse. He was still recovering from the afterglow and a little rough handling(no bruises in obvious places, and Sasuke had made Naruto swear to not give him hickies that were visible), and looked at Naruto for a long time. The little imp was amused. Sasuke frowned, then turned and jumped into the trees. Sasuke made it back to camp relatively quickly.

"Was anything wrong, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing that I couldn't take care of."

Sakura looked a little relieved, but suspicious at the same time.

"You're not hurt?"

"No."

Sasuke then left to take up the watch post again, and Sakura watched him go, wary. She shrugged after a long moment, and then pulled out a blanket from her bag, wrapped it around herself, leaned against a nearby stone, and closed her eyes, resolving to get some sleep.


	11. Employment

Author: DUDE. I have 22 people actively following this story. That gives me such warm fuzzies. But reviews give me even more warm fuzzies. So, review? Please?

Disclaimer: No. Just...no. The whole Naruto universe doesn't _belong_ to me, per say. I just get to use it...and warp it...mwahahaha...ha...ha...errr...

Naruto had an idea, one that would indebt _all_ the ninja villages to him. He knew he could pull it off, too.

He would hunt for missing nin.

To most, it would sound like suicide, but, hey, he had nothing better to do, and finding missing nin paid well. He should know. He'd done it before.

That decided, he went and offered his services to all the ninja villages.

At first, they were highly skeptical, but after a very convincing argument from him and just a hint of the depth of his chakra, the Kages let him. After all, it would cost them nothing, except money, and they would be able to send ninja on missions that had less of a chance of them dying.

Broaching the subject with Konoha was last on his agenda. It wouldn't be fun. How would he get in?

_Sasuke..._

But he might not be in town. It was worth a try, though.

Naruto waited until he was in Konoha territory, and then sent out a small, mental line to Sasuke.

---

Sasuke jumped a little bit, but his hands managed to stay steady as he cleaned and sharpened his weapons. He ignored it at first, but when he was nudged again, he followed the annoyance to its source.

_Yeah?_

_Sasuke?_

Sasuke's heart briefly stopped, before he acknowledged Naruto's voice. _What?_

_I need your help._

_Oh?_

_I need to get into Konoha, but I don't know how easy that'll be since the Kyuubi incident..._

Sasuke paused. _No-one saw your real face and body during that time. They just saw the Kyuubi. You're not easily recognizable from the time when you were a kid; I think only the people who know you best would be able to tell. I think you'll be able to come in fine. After all, you **are** a wanderer, and have been employed by Konoha before, right?_

_Yeah._

_I don't think you'll meet up with too much trouble. If you do..._Sasuke paused for a moment, hesitating over what he'll be saying next. Did he really want to risk his position and reputation to let someone he wanted as a lover through the gates?

Yes, he did.

_If you do, tell them you're here to see me._

_Alright._

That last word was a caress, and Sasuke felt Naruto's presence fade from his mind.

'Dear god...' he thought to himself as he put a kunai down. 'What the hell am I thinking?'

---

Kawao had always felt that the easiest way to get into a place was to look like you knew what you were doing and where you were going. Never show signs of hesitating or nervousness. Ninja could pick those up from forever away, so it wasn't worth trying to sneak in.

So, he approached the front gates, and after checking the travel papers he carried with him everywhere, he was allowed into Konoha. Once sufficiently far from the gate, he snickered and resettled his backpack. Now, to meet with Godaime.

That would take a little more doing. It hadn't been easy with the other Kages, and since the fifth here would have recognized the Kyuubi, they would be a little more restrictive with who saw the Godaime.

He knew one really good way of getting in. But he didn't want to risk dying. The Fox was quite capable of protecting him, but he didn't like taking chances with his life.

He stopped and looked up at the Hokage tower and sighed. Sheesh. Well, her was the _real_ test of his "look-like-you-know-what-you're-doing" theory. He opened the door to the tower and walked in.

---

Tsunade looked skeptically at the young man in front of her, who seemed to be waiting patiently for her answer.

Her first potential response was, "Idiot! There's no way I'm letting a civilian like you handle sensitive information and missions like that!"

The second was, "Well, you _are_ the Kyuubi bearer. You might have a chance. But how do I know I can trust you?"

The third was to kick him out of her office and forbid anyone to allow him in again.

The fourth was to say yes.

So she just looked calmly back at him.

"You do understand the risk that your proposal holds."

"Of course."

"And you still want to do it anyway."

"Yes."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You know, all the other Kages asked me the same thing."

All the other Kages?

"I told them that they couldn't. But with me being who I am, and I have been employed by all of them before and have done a good job, that that history should be testament for me."

"What makes you think you'll do a better job than one of my ninja."

"No one would expect me. Until it was too late, of course."

The feral grin that Kawao gave her made her raise an eyebrow.

"You're a civilian. You have no ninja training. How would you fight a missing nin?"

Kyuubi smiled faintly. "Don't play dumb with me, Godaime. You know who I am."

The red eyes and slight shift in voice and stance told her she was dealing not with Kawao, but with that which he held in his body.

"Why would you, who almost destroyed this village, want to help us?"

"I don't want to help _you._ I need something to do...and a way to _those eyes._"

Tsunade wasn't sure what that last part was about, But the first part made her eyes narrow.

"You don't want to help us, yet you're willing to work for me."

"To have something to occupy my mind and power. Working for you is just a detail."

"You will not betray us?"

The man's eyes shifted from red to a hurt blue. "Never."

Tsunade had a feeling that whoever was talking now was serious. She sighed and shuffled papers until she pulled out a Bingo Book and handed it to whomever was across from her. The man took it from her and flipped through the pages briefly before looking at her. The eyes were still a brilliant blue. The man bowed to her deeply, then turned.

"I'll do my best. Tsunade-sama."

With that, he walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Tsunade sighed heavily and put her head in her hands.

"Find Shizune for me," she said to the concealed ANBU. "And tell her I need a drink."

---

Naruto meandered through town, following Sasuke's chakra pattern until he managed to pinpoint it in a deserted corner of town. For a moment Naruto was puzzled until he remembered that the entire Uchiha clan(save Sasuke)had been killed by Itachi...who was apparently one of the people Naruto and Kyuubi were going to go after. Maybe he could get some info from–no, scratch that idea. He was here to woo Sasuke. Not to piss him off.

Naruto didn't bother to knock, since he knew Sasuke had picked up on his chakra pattern a while ago. He walked into the room where Sasuke was to find him putting away the last of his shuriken, having sharpened all his equipment.

"Sasuke."

"You got in without trouble."

"Yup."

"What're you here for anyway?"

"Concerned for me?"

Sasuke glared at Naruto.

Naruto grinned and walked over to him, and sat next to him, severely infringing on Sasuke's concept of personal space.

"I came here for work. And I got it, after some convincing on my part. It took some effort though."

"What work?"

"Hunting for missing nin."

Naruto abruptly found himself staring up at the ceiling, a very angry Sasuke pinning him to the floor.

"Idiot," Sasuke hissed.

Naruto grinned up at him and pulled him down so that their faces were only centimeters apart.

"Are you worried about me, Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Dobe," Sasuke snarled softly. "You'll get yourself killed."

"No I won't."

"Naruto..." Sasuke's voice held a warning note.

"I'll be fine."

"You're not a ninja!"

"I don't have the formal training, yes. But I _am_ a ninja. Or so the forehead protector says."

Naruto tapped the scarf he had around his neck, and Sasuke looked at it.

"That's your forehead protector? Then wear it."

Naruto's eyes became sad, and evasive. To distract Sasuke, Naruto pulled the other man down on top of him, shifting slightly so that they were pressing together in all sorts of interesting ways. Sasuke's eyes closed briefly, before he opened them and, with some effort of will, managed a half-hearted glare.

"No. I want an answer, Uzumaki Naruto." His voice was slightly husky.

Naruto paused for a moment, then sighed faintly. "If you want to see why, you'll have to get it off me."

"Is that a challenge?" Sasuke asked, voice slightly cold, with the faint undercurrent of exasperation.

Naruto gave Sasuke a toothy grin. "Damn right it is. How do you want to spar to get it?"

"Hm?"

Naruto's eyes gained a slightly lewd glint to them.

Sasuke's facade dropped enough for him to momentarily stare at Naruto in horror and interest. With sheer force of will, he shook his head.

"I want to see how strong you are. Outside of the bed."

Naruto gave the slightest show of a pout, then grinned. "Alright! Sounds fun to me! Let's start now."

"What!"

Naruto pushed the other man off him and stood as Sasuke quickly caught his balance. Sasuke glared at him.

"Outside!"

"Aw."

"Do it."

"Fiiine..."

Naruto body posture was dejected, but his eyes were sparkling in mischief.

Sasuke followed him out into the main courtyard/garden that the Uchiha estate had and had to abruptly duck once he had stepped out onto the grass. He growled a warning, but Naruto just gave him a sunny smile.

"C'mon, Sasuke. We're outside now. Let's spar!"

Sasuke gave Naruto a weary smile, as if saying, 'only because you'll be a pest if we don't.' Even though he wanted to test his skills, too. Naruto was an unknown; he knew he could beat all his peers, and a few of the older Jounin. But this would test his skills and also let him see whether or not he'd wor...whether or not he'd be concerned for Naruto's well-being.

Naruto fell into a stance, and Sasuke followed suit.

"No using the Kyuubi."

"Fine."

"Ready."

"Go!"


	12. Explinations

Author: yeah happy people reviewing! I'm having issues with writer's block, so the updates are going to become much more sporadic. I have it all in my head, I swear, it's just that whenever I sit down to write it I end up staring at the screen. But yeah. Anyway, review! It does an author good.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was. Never will be. But I will find _some_ way to make Itachi mine...think I can convince Kishimoto-sensei to sell me the rights to him?

"**What are you doing to sasuke!**"

The two young men looked up from thier current position of Naruto pinning Sasuke to the ground, hands on Sasuke's wrists and legs positioned so that if Sasuke tried to move, he'd be in a world of pain. Neither had noticed Sakura approaching; they had been too involved in their spar, which had degenerated into a friednly tussle more than a test of skill. Naruto blinked, not moving from his position of dominance over Sasuke.

"Sparring."

"Like _that_?"

Naruto looked down at Sasuke and grinned. "She's right. I win."

"Asshole," Sasuke growled as Naruto backed off and stood, brushing the grass, dust, and occasional pebble out of his clothes and hair.

He only barely managed to duck the punch that was aimed his way from a very irrate female, who had decided that she would take matters into her own hands. Naruto was about to say something, but had to dodge repeatedly.

Sasuke was amused. Someone defending his 'honor'. Right. Sasuke watched as Naruto was as evasive as possible while trying to calm down the female before him. As Sasuke watched, Naruto's eyes shifted from blue, to green, to purple, to red.

Sasuke could only watch in mute amazement as Kyuubi moved too quickly for either he or Sakura to follow. They only registered that Kyuubi had moved at all when Sakura found her face being ground into the dirt, one arm wrenched painfully behind her back and Kyuubi's foot resting on her spine, pushing down to show he was seriously considering breaking her spine and ending her career as a shinobi then and there.

_Kyuubi!_

Kyuubi turned his head slowly and looked at Sasuke with sleepy, dangerous eyes.

_She would take you away from me._

_Stop._

_I won't let anyone take you away from me._

_I'm not going anywhere._

_Damn right._

_Let her go._

Kyuubi looked down at the woman beneath him and he pushed his foot a little more forcefully onto the small of her back until she whimpered, before he stepped off her and slunk over to Sasuke.

_You are mine._

_Uchiha Sasuke..._

The tone in which Kyuubi purred his name within his mind sent shivers up Sasuke's spine; not in fear, but in pleasure. He had never heard his name spoken with such passion, such subtle ferocity that was simultaneously disturbing and incredibly alluring.

"Mine," Kyuubi purred into Sasuke's ear before letting his hand drift down Sasuke's front, knowing full well that the pink-haired kunoichi was watching his every move with horror.

Sasuke grabbed Kyuubi's wrist before his hand could drift too far down.

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed slightly, but a smirk slowly formed on his face.

_I'll let you play 'straight' for a little while longer. But remember, Sasuke..._

"You belong to me," he said softly into Sasuke's ear and nipped at it playfully, causing Sasuke to swat him away. Kyuubi merely grinned, bowed with a highly mocking smile to Sakura, and then dissapeared into a small swirl of red.

"That _hurt_," sasuke murmured to himself as he rubbed the abused ear.

"Sasuke, who _was_ that?"

"A...friend."

"Right. You two were looking really 'friendly'."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Sasuke, you have a _girlfriend_."

"So do you."

Sakura balked. Sasuke smiled coldly.

"Th-tha-that doesn't matter right now! What was he doing to you? Who was he? Don't say "a friend" either, because that won't cut it!"

Sasuke sighed and ran his hand through his hair, pushing out all the grass and pebbles that were trapped in there.

"Why do you care?" Sasuke asked in a seemingly non-chalant voice that carried an undertone of a warning.

"Kumori–"

"Is in Cloud Country doing her duty as a ninja. Sakura. Both she and I are aware of the issue this relationship poses. We have tried to be faithful to each other, have tried to keep in touch. But she has a life. I have a life. And we both may lose ours at any time, and the other might not know for days, or may even never find out."

"Y-you treat a relationship so...so..."

"'Lightly'. I think 'lightly' is the word you're looking for," Sasuke said softly, venom and bitterness in his voice. "Sakura. Because of _that man,_ I won't let myself have serious relationships. I won't have everything taken away from me again." Sasuke paused, thoughtful. "Tell me. If I killed Ino right now, in front of your eyes with you powerless to do anything, how would you feel?"

Sakura paled, then flushed. Her voice became deadly. "I'd kill you."

Sasuke gave her the patented Uchiha smirk, his eyes cold. "I've been searching, _yearning_ to kill the man who took my fucking _entire_ family away from me, My _entire_ clan, for many years now. I don't want to add another casualty that would hurt me more than the death of a clan."

Sakura looked away.

"That's why I treat relationships 'lightly', Haruno Sakura."

"You're just a wimp. Afraid of getting hurt by getting close."

Sakura didn't have time to register Sasuke's movement until she was pinned up against the fence, his hand tight around her neck, his Sharingan revealed. Sakura could feel Sasuke trembling against the urge to either crush her windpipe or send her stomach through her spine, but knew that he wouldn't do either. Sasuke could be touchy and lash out, but he would never kill someone considered at least a comrade, if not a friend.

"You're walking a dangerous line, Sakura."

With an effort of will, Sasuke released the Kunoichi, and turned quickly. He rubbed his shoulder, and walked into his house.

Sakura rubbed her neck. Today had not been her day. She had just gotten her period, had come to tell Sasuke about a mission and found him instead pinned to the ground by a stranger, then had watched as said stranger pawed Sasuke after nearly killing her, had snapped because of said period, and had nearly been killed. Again. Goddamnit. She needed chocolate, and she needed it **_NOW_**.

Sakura huffed off, and Sasuke waited until she was gone to snarl.

Now he remembered why he hated most women.

Sasuke desperatly needed to either hit something or have sex. He needed some way to get the restrained violence out of his system.

Might as well. Not like any of them would mind.

But he had just left. And Sasuke didn't want Kyuubi, or Kawao, or Naruto to think he wasn't able to handle a little emotional strain. He had been able to that for years now, and now that someone important to him had found their way into his life, he was relying on them. No, that wouldn't do at all. Anyway, there was the practice field if he wanted that kind of physical relief and, well, there were other ways of physical relief besides hitting things. He decided he'd try one, then the other. If both of those didn't work, he'd bother Naruto. But he felt like he wouldn't need to. Sasuke slipped on his shoes, ran a hand through his hair, then stepped out into the deserted streets and began the trek over to the practice field.


End file.
